Estate / Collection: Property of Technical Production Manager Jake Bell

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

A Broadway Stage Worn Phantom's Mask. Mounted in a black shadowbox frame. This mask stage worn in a late Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera. The mask about 9 x 6 inches, the shadowbox frame 12 x 12 x 5 inches. Light wear and small losses from stage use, not examined out of frame.

Perhaps the most identifiable silhouette in Broadway history, the adaptation of the mask worn in The Phantom of the Opera has a complicated history. In Gaston Leroux's original novel, the Phantom, a tortured musical genius named Erik, is first introduced to us wearing a full black mask to cover a facial deformity. For the 1925 film adaptation, Lon Chaney famously rarely wore his mask, revealing his ghastly deformed face in full view in nearly every scene. In the 1943 remake starring Claude Rains, a bluish-white mask, stolen from the theater's prop department, covers 3/4 of the Phantom's face. But for Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical adaptation of Phantom, the famous split mask that we know today was not originally intended, and in fact a half mask was featured in previews and on the show's original poster (a discrepancy that remains to this day). According to the article Behind the Mask: The Evolution of the Phantom's Makeup on Andrew Lloyd Webber's website, it dawned Director Harold Prince during development that a full mask not only stifled star Michael Crawford's to fully belt out his songs but restricted the range of emotion the character could show with this face. Further, a split mask would visually juxtapose "the two conflicting sides of the Phantom’s character. The light and the dark, the good and the bad." The split mask was realized by original designer Maria Bjornson, who, as opposed to the earlier versions that had relied on stage props, envisioned the mask as made of porcelain with a glass eye, similar to the custom-made masks worn by World War I soldiers to obscure facial disfigurement caused by battle.

Technical Production Manager Jake Bell's memories of The Phantom of the Opera:

This Phantom mask was presented to Technical Production Manager Jake Bell upon the closing of the musical in April 2023, by then the longest running in Broadway history at 13,981 performances. Jake Bell had been with Phantom from the beginning, having been first hired by British Producer Cameron Mackintosh for the Broadway production in 1988 and continuing through decades of national and international tours. The show’s technical requirements were so advanced that many theaters had to undergo extensive renovations to accommodate it. An excavator was brought in to dig the basement 10 feet deeper, allowing the candles and candelabras—212 in total—to rise seamlessly from the stage floor. The expanded basement also provided space for a trap door, a retractable staircase, and the rising Paris Opera House roof dome. Further, steel support structures were installed to hold the massive proscenium and chandelier both of which hung over the audience. Suspended above the audience, the chandelier dramatically crashed onto the stage in one of the show’s most spectacular effects. The original Broadway chandelier remained in use throughout the show’s 35-year run. It was never replaced, thanks to meticulous maintenance—including rewiring, re-welding, replacing globes, repainting, and continuous cleaning. The chandelier was named “Ruthie II” after its London counterpart, “Ruthie I.” The name was in honor of Ruth Mitchell, Hal Prince’s formidable assistant, who was known for her strong personality and unmatched dedication.

At the Majestic Theatre on 44th Street, Phantom was one of the first major productions to incorporate a fully computer-automated system. With 52 computer operated automated effects controlling both the deck scenery and fly system, manual operation would have been impossible due to the sheer volume of simultaneous cues. Computerization became essential.

The show’s costumes were equally legendary. The beading, fabric selections, and intricate designs were breathtaking. The Masquerade Ball scene alone featured 50-60 costumes, with some discreetly placed on mannequins to enhance the grandeur. Christine’s wedding dress bustle weighed nearly 35 pounds. The U.S. National Tour required 1.5 full 48-foot tractor-trailers solely for transporting costumes. With its technical achievements, Phantom became a global phenomenon, captivating audiences across the world.